Velominati Super Prestige: Il Lombardia 2013

Il Lombardia, this is the race of the fallen leaves. This fall classic is a beautiful race in a beautiful region of Italy. The arduous route may change year to year but what does not change is the Italian need to win this thing. There is some national pride at stake here after the Italian men finished off the podium in Firenze. Bergamo to Lecco, 242 km, with five equally spaced climbs between the two. This is the final Monument of the 2013 season, directly on the heels of the World Championships. Purito won the 2012 edition of Il Lombardia and will be energized to win again after his crushing loss in the Worlds. Paulo Bettini won the race in his rainbow jersey, Rui Costa can’t be counted out not to do the same.

Many racers have already shut it down for the season. Finding great form in October is not for everyone. Yet peaking for the World Championships and Il Lombardia has been on the calendar for many of the puncheurs and strong climbers. And many others will be climbing off at the first feed zone, pulling into the Milano Malpensa airport before the race is over.

Yes this is a brutal race often won by a lone rider. Climbing, descending, good bike handling a must when the forecast calls for possible rain (yes it does again this year).

The toughest climb is in the middle of the day.

A few hundred meters after crossing Maglio the race turns to the left into the Muro di Sormano (Sormano Wall) (2 km at 15%) on a narrow and very steep (recently repaired) road, partly running through a grove, featuring steep u-bends and gradients at time exceeding 25% and even coming close to 30% around meter 1.000 of the route.

That should separate the contenders from those dismounting at the second feed zone on the course. The climbs of Madonna del Ghisallo and Villa Vergano are waiting then a final 3 km flat run into Lecco ends it. A proper start list is not yet available as the director sportifs are still calling in the unwilling domestiques to fill out their rosters but for now this will have to do. Good luck and good picking.

A bit like my race season, the VSP comes good at the end. Today netted me a 3rd in the VSP and a win in our club hill climb; quite happy with that considering 2 years ago if have called myself a downhiller.

Don’t normally post pictures of myself but your post reminded me of this picture from a race two wweks back. The guy two bikes back: thats the face of someone who has just been outsprinted by a fatboy!

The Classic of the Falling Leaves is always charged with emotions, either because it’s the last race of the season or because the atmosphere indicates the end of the Summer.

This year there was one more reason for a professional cyclist, it was the last time he rode this Classic. Dirk Bellemakers will retire at the end of this year.

The race was finished, he arrived penultimate, more than 20 minutes after Joaquim Rodriguez.

I saw Bellemakers coming from the bottom of the finish straight when almost every photographer were gone. It was late and it was raining.

As an amateur I was still there. I never get tired to see the riders, even the last one.

I started taking some photos of him when he asked me to send them to him as a memory of his days as a pro rider.

At that moment I felt a sense of inadequacy: in a moment so important/intense for him a pro photographer would be better, I thought. But then I also thought that only an amateur would wait till the arriving of the last rider, only an amateur could take those pictures.

The Classic of the Falling Leaves is always charged with emotions, either because it’s the last race of the season or because the atmosphere indicates the end of the Summer.

This year there was one more reason for a professional cyclist, it was the last time he rode this Classic. Dirk Bellemakers will retire at the end of this year.

The race was finished, he arrived penultimate, more than 20 minutes after Joaquim Rodriguez.

I saw Bellemakers coming from the bottom of the finish straight when almost every photographer were gone. It was late and it was raining.

As an amateur I was still there. I never get tired to see the riders, even the last one.

I started taking some photos of him when he asked me to send them to him as a memory of his days as a pro rider.

At that moment I felt a sense of inadequacy: in a moment so important/intense for him a pro photographer would be better, I thought. But then I also thought that only an amateur would wait till the arriving of the last rider, only an amateur could take those pictures.

Of course I’ll send them to him, ciao Dirk.

Chapeau sir! What a class act you are. Did you know it was Dirk’s last race? I’m sure he was deeply appreciative that there was someone at the end who cared enough to wait for the last finishers. Imagine finishing your last race as a humble pro and there being no-one there (other that team support) who seemed to care? Chapeau too to Dirk for finishing. Many others dropped out but Dirk rode on even though he was 20 minutes down. That’s professionalism in my book. For most riders it would not be a high, but Dirk obviously wanted to finish his last race with some pride and dignity (and not DNF) and you helped him do that.

Don’t normally post pictures of myself but your post reminded me of this picture from a race two wweks back. The guy two bikes back: thats the face of someone who has just been outsprinted by a fatboy!

Looks like the guy behind you has also given up in the face of your overwhelming strength! The crowd are also digging your application of the V.

Well, then it’s a good thing you are an amateur photographer because, as you said, these are the important photos to take. I bet no one got a photo of DZ as he got off his bike somewhere before the finish. Don’t you want to finish your last race?

This from Juan Antonio Flecha, I look forward to seeing him out on the water.

“I say goodbye to cycling forever at the Tour of Beijing,” he continued. “I cannot wait to finish that race in mid-October and go to Maui, Hawaii, with an open date on the return ticket.

“I’ll swap the asphalt for the foam of the waves, the bike for the surfboard, and walk barefoot all day, and be free.”

The Classic of the Falling Leaves is always charged with emotions, either because it’s the last race of the season or because the atmosphere indicates the end of the Summer.

This year there was one more reason for a professional cyclist, it was the last time he rode this Classic. Dirk Bellemakers will retire at the end of this year.

The race was finished, he arrived penultimate, more than 20 minutes after Joaquim Rodriguez.

I saw Bellemakers coming from the bottom of the finish straight when almost every photographer were gone. It was late and it was raining.

As an amateur I was still there. I never get tired to see the riders, even the last one.

I started taking some photos of him when he asked me to send them to him as a memory of his days as a pro rider.

At that moment I felt a sense of inadequacy: in a moment so important/intense for him a pro photographer would be better, I thought. But then I also thought that only an amateur would wait till the arriving of the last rider, only an amateur could take those pictures.

Of course I’ll send them to him, ciao Dirk.

Perfetto. This is the most perfect post I have ever read on this site. Thank you for that.

Well, then it’s a good thing you are an amateur photographer because, as you said, these are the important photos to take. I bet no one got a photo of DZ as he got off his bike somewhere before the finish. Don’t you want to finish your last race?

This from Juan Antonio Flecha, I look forward to seeing him out on the water.

“I say goodbye to cycling forever at the Tour of Beijing,” he continued. “I cannot wait to finish that race in mid-October and go to Maui, Hawaii, with an open date on the return ticket.

“I’ll swap the asphalt for the foam of the waves, the bike for the surfboard, and walk barefoot all day, and be free.”

I don’t know why DZ climbed of, but I agree, don’t you think you’d want to finish your last ride on the bike and not in the team car? Ok, I’m not a professional and I’m well aware what a business the sport can be, but for my own peace of mind, I think I’d do a Dirk – finish the race no matter how far down I was.

I’m putting in an early nomination for Dirk to get ride of the year – a journeyman pro who tried to the end. Could have jacked it in, but applied Rule #5 and finished. An example to us all..